Abreaction

The name of artist Baiba Rubine became more widely recognised in 2012 after her exhibition The Ice Age at Riga Art Space curated by Inga Šteimane. In her new exhibition Abreaction (meaning – release of stress), the artist continues to explore alternatives offered by a digital camera, further supplementing her works with video footage and photomontage. She describes her work for Abreaction as a sort of intermediate result in her pursuits: “For years I have been searching and will continue to look for whatever it is that destroys inner harmony, answers sought out by semi-conscious mind.” Alongside the surrounding noise there is something that our hearing fails to perceive. It is the silence that exists in another dimension, where a person is able to remain alone with the self. And this is exactly the sort of silence Baiba Rubine works in, creating images which at first glance remind us of self-portraits – however, they are more than just self-representations: these are images that record raw emotions.

The opening (16 April at 5pm) will feature a performance by Edmunds Frīdvalds and Andželika Frīdvalde, who will complement Baiba Rubine’s works with sound installations.

Baiba Rubine (born 1979) holds a BSc in Psychology from the Riga Teacher Training and Educational Management Academy (2002) and studied photography at Professional Photography School (Birutas Mageles International Stylist School) in Riga (2010).

Curator: Uldis Pētersons

Organizer: Riga Photography Biennial in cooperation with Kuldiga District Council, Kuldiga Artists’ Residence

Image: Baiba Rubine, 2015